Mind Games

Watching Felix Doubront pitch last week was so nerve-wracking. I drafted Doubront for $1 in Mixed Tout because I was intrigued by the high strikeout rate and the fact that he’s still just 25 years of age. I was well aware of the control issues but hoped that he could make strides in that area in his second full big league season. It looks like I was way off on this one, as the young lefty has issued nine free passes over his first 16 2/3 innings this year (three starts). And, when he isn’t walking a batter, he’s pitching into deep counts. So despite the tempting two-start week where he would be facing the A’s followed by the lowly Astros, I opted to sit Doubront and relieve myself of the headache. Why exactly do I own this guy if playing him in a two-start week with one decent matchup and one extremely favorable matchup gives me a headache? I have no idea. Well, of course Doubront goes out there tonight and limits Oakland to three runs on three hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight. Well, at least he walked five. That makes me feel a little better. Why exactly am I rooting against my own players? This is nuts.

Wednesday, April 24 – 10:44 AM

By the time I remembered last night that Clayton Richard was pitching, he was already out of the game, and that’s a good thing. It’s a lot easier to learn that one of your pitchers got shelled by scanning a box score as opposed to watching the proceedings on live TV. It’s kind of like how ripping off a band-aid 1-2-3 is less annoying than slowly peeling it off inch by inch. You get it over with nice and quick. But back to Richard. He’s the ultimate start at home but bench on the road guy. From 2010 through 2012, the Padres’ southpaw posted a 2.94 ERA and 1.15 WHIP at home as opposed to a 4.73 ERA and 1.51 WHIP away from Petco Park, and he had allowed a combined two runs over his first two home outings this season. Pitching him this week at home vs. the Brewers was a no-brainer. I guess not. Will I ever have the mental fortitude to trust Clayton again, even at home? I don’t know. I should though. Three seasons worth of extreme home/road splits is awfully convincing.

Thursday, April 25 – 9:58 AM

This is kind of embarrassing, but here goes. I woke up this morning thinking that Desmond Jennings had been sent down to the Minors. It took me only about 10 seconds to realize that it was just a dream, but where did this idea come from? I do own Jennings in a couple of leagues, one of them being Tout, and while he has yet to earn the $20 I shelled out for him (.300 OBP, 22-to-8 K/BB ratio through 21 games), five steals and 16 runs scored isn’t too shabby. I still have plenty of faith in the Rays’ centerfielder, but maybe subconsciously I’m panicking? Nah, though I do wish that Sigmund Freud lived in my neighborhood so that I can have a nice long chat with him about this. Too bad he died 74 years ago.

Thursday, April 25 – 10:03 PM

Another run allowed by Steve Cishek and another loss. The Marlins’ closer is now 1-3 on the year with a 5.40 ERA and just two saves in 10 appearances. What was I thinking drafting him in Tout? After all, I preferred Tom Wilhelmsen for my No. 2 closer spot and he wound up going for the same $10 that I spent on Cishek. The decision to go with Cishek could very well drive me crazy throughout the remaining five-plus months of the season. But wait a minute, let’s look on the bright side. Cishek’s WHIP (1.30) and 11-to-3 K/BB ratio are both solid, and a major reason for the three losses is that the Marlins keep on using him in tie games. He’s only blown one save. Things are bound to get better. And despite all this, I’m in 4th place.